Semicircular Gauge for Physiological Parameter Trend Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current patient monitoring systems lack an effective way to quickly and comprehensively display current and historical physiological parameters, making it difficult for clinicians to visualize trends and threshold values simultaneously without switching between different display modes.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a parameter acquisition unit, memory for storing historical data, and a user interface displaying physiological parameters in a graphical user interface (GUI) using a semicircular gauge with a radial axis representing time, allowing for concurrent display of current values, historical trends, and threshold values, along with customizable alarms and threshold zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional numerical display modes are used for physiological parameters, then the display is simple and easy to implement, but clinicians cannot quickly comprehend current and historical parameters simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the traditional one-dimensional numerical display into a two-dimensional polar coordinate system. The radial distance from the origin represents the magnitude of the physiological parameter value, while the angular position represents the time dimension. This dimensional transformation allows clinicians to simultaneously visualize both the current value and historical trend of physiological parameters in a single graphical display, eliminating the need to switch between multiple display modes.
2Loss of information
If multiple display modes are used to show current and historical parameters, then comprehensive information is provided, but clinicians must toggle between modes which reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple display functions into a single unified polar coordinate display. The graphical interface simultaneously presents current parameter values, historical trends, threshold values, and alarm conditions all in one view. This consolidation eliminates the need for clinicians to toggle between separate display modes for different types of information, thereby maintaining comprehensive information display while significantly improving monitoring efficiency.
3Loss of information
If detailed historical data is displayed, then comprehensive trend analysis is possible, but the display becomes complex and harder to interpret
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color coding to differentiate various elements in the polar coordinate display. Different colors represent different physiological parameters, threshold levels, and alarm conditions. This visual encoding system allows detailed historical data to be presented in a visually organized manner that is easier to interpret, reducing display complexity while maintaining comprehensive information about historical trends.
4Reliability
If threshold values and alarm levels are displayed separately, then clear alarm indication is provided, but the display requires more space and switching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates threshold values and alarm level indications directly onto the polar coordinate graph. Thresholds are represented as concentric circles or radial lines, and alarm conditions are indicated by color changes or symbolic markers at the appropriate angular and radial positions. This merging of alarm information with the parameter display eliminates the need for separate alarm display areas, maintaining clear alarm indication while optimizing display space utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a parameter acquisition unit that receives one or more physiological parameters from one or more sensors. A memory device stores historical values of the one or more physiological parameters received by the parameter acquisition unit. A user interface unit displays representations of current and historical values of the one or more physiological parameters in a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the GUI includes a semicircular gauge having a curved portion representing a common range of values for the one or more physiological parameters and a radial axis representing time, a center of the semicircular gauge corresponding to an earliest time for which a historical value is represented within the semicircular gauge and the curved portion corresponding to a current time. The GUI further includes a numerical representation of a current value of each physiological parameter displayed at a corresponding point along the curved portion of the semicircular gauge and a trend line for each physiological parameter originating at the center of the semicircular gauge and extending toward the curved portion thereof, wherein each trend line graphs historical values for a respective physiological parameter, and wherein a point on the trend line representing a historical value has a radial coordinate related to time and an angular coordinate related to the historical value.